THE next Dean of Chichester is to be the Ven. Edward Dowler, who’s currently the Archdeacon of Hastings, also in Chichester diocese, Downing Street announced on Tuesday morning.
He succeeds the Very Revd Stephen Waine, who returned to parish ministry last yr (News, 23 December 2022).
Dr Dowler, who was born in 1967, trained for ordination at Westcott House, Cambridge, and has a doctorate from Durham University. He was ordained priest in 1995.
He served his title at Christ Church, Southgate, in north London, before becoming Assistant Curate of St Mary’s, Somers Town, also in London diocese. From 2001 to 2009, he taught at St Stephen’s House, Oxford, where for six years he was the Vice Principal. From 2010 to 2016, he was the Vicar of St John and St Luke, Clay Hill, in north London. He became Archdeacon of Hastings in 2016. Since 2020, he has also been Priest-in-Charge of St John the Evangelist, Crowborough, within the diocese of Chichester.
The Bishop of Chichester, Dr Martin Warner, said that Dr Dowler’s appointment would bring to the cathedral “the experience of parochial life and mission in rural, urban and coastal towns within the east of the diocese. This will forge a link it has not at all times been easy to keep up.
“But Edward brings other gifts and experience that may strengthen the able, imaginative, and energetic Chapter and their colleagues in Chichester. His priestly ministry is primarily defined by pastoral care and thoughtful teaching that makes accessible the entire span of the Christian tradition. As an archdeacon, he has change into acquainted with ecclesiastical law and the hard lessons of economic planning. He appreciates art and music and, importantly, has a probing sense of humour.”
Dr Dowler contributes book reviews and other articles to the Church Times. He was critical of the directions from the Bishops that the clergy should close their churches through the pandemic (Online Comment, 3 April 2020).
Dr Dowler is married to Anna Tims, a journalist at The Guardian. They have two children at university.
